With temperatures stuck in the teens, the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis hosted a drive-thru outreach event Monday to support families in need on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Cars began lining up as early as 7 a.m. outside the organization’s headquarters on North Kingshighway, hours before the event officially started. Volunteers distributed food, toiletries, masks and other essential items to thousands of families, many of whom are still recovering from the May tornado that damaged large parts of the region.
“When you see people showing up at 7 a.m. on a day that’s this cold, it shows how deep the need is,” said Urban League President Michael McMillan. “So many families are still trying to recover and get back on their feet.”
Around 150 volunteers participated in the effort, helping provide roughly two weeks’ worth of food to each vehicle that came through the line. In total, the MLK Day drive-thru served more than 3,000 families.
Organizers said the event reflected Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of service, offering direct support to neighbors during a time when many St. Louis residents continue to rebuild and recover.
If you missed it or need more information, visit https://www.ulstl.com/food--clothing-assistance.html#/.